Weymouth couple helping orphans in their native Haiti

Two years to the day after a massive earthquake devastated much of Haiti, Weymouth residents Richardson and Milka Fong are turning life around for 14 girls at the Angels’ Voice Orphanage in Port-au-Prince.

By Christian Schiavone

The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA

By Christian Schiavone

Posted Jan. 12, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jan 12, 2012 at 12:06 PM

By Christian Schiavone

Posted Jan. 12, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jan 12, 2012 at 12:06 PM

WEYMOUTH

» Social News

To Richardson Fong, the futures of 14 girls orphaned by the massive earthquake in his native Haiti were bleak. “They were in the streets. That means their lives would be in misery – like hell,” he said. “They were subject to any danger you can think of.”

Now, two years to the day after the earthquake leveled whole sections of the capital city, Port-au-Prince, and devastated the country, those girls are living at the Angels’ Voice Orphanage that Fong and his wife, Milka, started in the capital last year.

Things are still far from ideal as the country struggles to rebuild. But the girls at the orphanage are now safeand well-fed, and many of them are attending school for the first time, the Fongs said during a recent interview in their South Weymouth home.

“It’s a wonderful thing to see how they’re progressing now,” said Milka, who is also from Haiti. “Our mission is to transform their lives for the future of the country.”

The earthquake hit home for both Fongs. Seventeen members of Milka’s family were killed, the youngest of whom was 8. Richardson’s nephews, whose mother died in childbirth, were left homeless along with their foster family.

The couple, who have two children, decided to start the orphanage after visiting the country shortly after the earthquake in the hopes of adopting Richardson’s nephews. That process is still ongoing, and Jerry, 18, and Justin, who will turn 3 this month, are staying with relatives.

The nonprofit orphanage opened in Milka’s father’s empty home in August 2010. Initially there were six girls, but the number quickly grew to 14, ages 5 to 8.

The Fongs knew right away that they wanted the orphanage to house girls. Their goal was to help girls get educated and go on to professional careers – avenues that are often closed to girls in Haiti, they said.

The Fongs first relied on their savings to run the orphanage. But with the help of the congregations at the Central Baptist Church in Quincy and the Immaculate Conception and First Baptist churches in Weymouth and many more donors, they’re now able to raise the $3,500 monthly budget.

This year they hope to do more, including having the nonprofit buy the property from Milka’s family so the orphanage can expand to house 60 girls. Eventually, the couple also hope to build their own school and church.

Richardson said he hopes the orphanage will help the girls grow up to be successful and help rebuild their country.

“They can become doctors or engineers or whatever the country has to offer,” he said. “We’re here to make that happen.”